Mastering Pest Control: What is the Best Way to Prevent Pest Infestations
Mastering Pest Prevention
Household pest control is not a one-time event. Rather, it is an ongoing process of eradication and prevention, getting rid of existing pests and taking steps to keep new ones from gaining a foothold. As with many other situations in life, prevention is a far better approach than trying to fix a problem that has already occurred. Here, we offer some pest prevention tips to help you avoid pests as much as possible.
How to Prevent Pest Infestations
- Block their points of entry. Seal up any cracks or openings, both inside and outside the house. Outside, seal cracks in the walls, siding, and windows with a clear, exterior-grade caulk. Inside, check areas where fixtures attach to walls, walls meet the floor, and around baseboards, sealing them with silicone or acrylic latex caulk. Before you seal a larger hole, stuff it with steel wool or copper mesh, to prevent rodents from gnawing through it. Seal the holes where cables and pipes enter the house, and put screens on windows and over vents.
- Don’t invite them into your house. Leaving garbage open, leaving pet food out, or neglecting to put screens on your windows is like putting out an open invitation. You can also invite pests by providing easy water sources, so make sure you fix any leaks or drips promptly, and never allow standing water.
- Keep everything clean. Declutter and clean your home thoroughly, wiping counters, vacuuming, and mopping floors to keep any and all food particles cleared away. Only eat in designated meal spaces, and clean the kitchen immediately after meals. Avoid piles of paper or cardboard, especially in crawl spaces. Dispose of garbage regularly, and seal your outdoor bins. Inside, close the garbage and put away pet food before you go to bed.
- Store food correctly. Keep your food in airtight containers or in the refrigerator. Unsealed food in the pantry can attract pests, and so can food that is left out of the fridge. Never store food on the floor, but always elevate it.
- Tidy up your landscaping. Keep your gutters clean, your landscaping well-maintained, and debris or leaves away from the foundation. Trim foliage away from the house, and store wood elevated and at a distance from the house.
- Stay alert for any issues. Regularly check areas where you have previously spotted pests, and look for damage and cracks in your home’s exterior surfaces. Keep an eye out for signs of pest infestation, so that you can address it promptly.
Effective Pest Control
Of course, even with the best pest prevention strategies, sometimes these little creatures slip into your home anyway. When that happens, you will need some pest control tips to help you manage the situation. There are many pest control methods available to homeowners, including sprays, traps, and repellants, but the best tip we can give you is this: call for professional assistance. A pest control specialist will know exactly what to do, to get rid of the pests you have and keep more pests from entering your home.
Trust the Experts in Pest Management
When you want to eradicate pests and prevent future infestations, look for a company with positive customer reviews and a strong reputation for providing reliable, effective, long-term protection against pests. In the Bay Area, call the pest control professionals at MightyMite Termite Services to defend your property against all kinds of pests. Long known as experts in California termite control, MightyMite has now designed a wide range of pest control services to protect your home and family. We perform free pest inspections to identify any pests and determine the best way to rid your home of an infestation. Our carefully refined rodent and pest control services, combined with our experience, licensed, and highly trained professional staff, makes us the leading extermination company in the Bay Area. We understand that your home is your most important investment, so we work hard to provide excellent service, utilizing best practices to solve our customers’ pest control problems. For more information, email Info@mightymitetermite.com or contact us through our website.